Rain and Chi continued their celebration, oblivious to the mysterious observer. They danced and laughed, their spirits high from the success of their experiment.
The brief rain shower had brought them hope and a sense of accomplishment.
"We did it, Chi!" Rain exclaimed, still elated. "With this method, we can bring life back to this land."
It is said that fire and water is where life begins. They weren't exactly wrong. It was only then that Rain understood that concept.
Chi nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with excitement. 'I don't know what's happening, but as long as my lord is happy!'
"Alright, Chi. Now that we have the basic necessities to survive, it's time to develop our territory," Rain said.
Chi bobbed her head to the side, curious.
"To be honest, I don't really know how to build anything either, but I've read books about it. We need . . . uh . . ." Rain recalled what he had read and counted on his fingers. "First, some wood, a lot of it, rope, blankets, or some animal skins. If we want to improve our house, we can go for bricks. Now that we can make it rain, maybe we should aim for bricks."
Rain looked around the barren wasteland. Almost all of the dead trees were gone because they had used them for firewood, fences, and traps.
At least now their small shelter was barricaded, though it wouldn't do much if they were attacked by packs of beasts.
"Let's go for bricks," Rain decided. They didn't have many resources here anyway, and bricks only required water to make. They could then dry them under the sun.
"Alright, start gathering everyone. While we wait for the salt to form, let's make more traps and . . . let's see, you and I should map out the land and find new materials. Who knows, we might even find a village around here."
~chi!~
After designating tasks to the others, Rain and Chi set off to map the area.
They didn't have much more to do back in their territory anyway as they waited for the salt to form. It could take up days, so it was best to find some new materials or even something that would help them develop their territory.
Rain still had more than 20 days left for his Novice Lord title, and he was confident that with everyone's help, he could make it through alive . . . at least, he hoped so.
Rain was busy looking at the map that showed their location as they moved. It also showed where his statue was, his troops, and some landmarks that Rain had mapped out like big rocks and . . . more bigger rocks.
With the map, it would be hard to get lost, so Rain was confident they could venture far from their territory if that's what it took to map out the area.
"It would be nice if we could find a village or some kind of civilization out here," Rain said, feeling optimistic. "Or even just a dwarf! I've heard that dwarves are very good with construction, right Chi?"
~chi~!
Rain and Chi chattered for thirty minutes, then an hour, then two hours . . .
They had been walking under the intense heat for the last three hours and still no sign of civilization or even just a little evidence of life.
Rain wiped the sweat from his brow and took a sip from his water. "We must be close to something. Keep your eyes open for any signs, Chi."
Chi nodded, her eyes scanning the horizon. They continued their trek, determined to find something that would aid their efforts.
They did, however, manage to kill some lizards and passing Raklings along the way. They also gathered whatever materials they could find.
"I'm just glad there are no packs of Quillwolves," Rain said, after drinking some water to quench his thirst.
He had gotten used to the climate in the Barren Wasteland to the point where he could stand at least this much heat.
~chi~
"Oh, it does make sense. Those wolves only attack during the night when the weather is much cooler. With all that fur, they're probably hiding inside a cave or something to avoid the sun . . ."
Rain paused, a thought forming in his mind. "Wait . . . if they can come to our territory in packs during the night, then maybe . . . maybe their hideout isn't that far away from ours?"
Rain studied the map again and noticed that the northern part, a few kilometers from their shelter, was still unmapped.
"Could it be?" Rain recalled the time when the first Quillwolves attacked their shelter. "If I'm right . . . they came from the north side of our home. So their hideout must be in that direction."
~Chi!~
"You're right. Hideouts usually mean more Quillwolves, right? There could be a dozen of them there. But I think it might not hurt if we take a look. After all, if we leave these wolves to themselves, they'll keep coming back to our shelter every time. We have to deal with them sooner or later."
~Chi!~
"So it's better if we locate their hideout while the sun is high and then plan on how to eradicate them once and for all to eliminate the threat to our home."
Chi was hyped up, smoke rising from her nose in excitement.
"Alright. Let's make a beeline and check this side of the map first."
They set off towards the northern part of their territory, determined to find the Quillwolves' hideout. The sun blazed down on them, but Rain and Chi pressed on, knowing that finding the hideout was crucial for their safety.
If they could find the Quillwolves' lair and eliminate the threat, their territory would be much safer.
After an hour of trekking through the harsh landscape, Rain noticed a change in the terrain. The ground became rockier, and the sparse vegetation gave way to larger boulders and hidden crevices.
"Chi, stay alert. This looks like the kind of place where they might have their hideout," Rain cautioned.
~chi~
They moved cautiously, checking every nook and cranny. Finally, Rain spotted something unusual — a large opening in the side of a hill, partially concealed by rocks and overgrown with dry thorny bushes.
"That must be it," Rain whispered. "Let's get closer and see if we can confirm it."
They approached the opening carefully, peering inside. The air was cooler, and Rain could smell the distinct, musky scent of the Quillwolves . . . and something else . . . something like . . .
BLOOD?!